Songwriter Demo/Versions of Songs

[Kentucky25]

I haven't seen any threads of this kind, but I remember a while back someone posted a link to a demo of one of the new songs on the Flordia Georgia Line album and (so long as this is within the rules of the forum...and if it's not, feel free to close it Mods) I figured we could use this for uploading any songwriters' demo tracks of songs that got cut.

I love songwriting and any chance I have to try and shine a spotlight on the people "behind the music" I love to.

Also, if anyone has any of the songs from the new Aldean album, that'd be cool to hear.

[onebuffalo]

Larry Willoughby, a cousin of Rodney Crowell cut his version of Operator, Operator for his 1983 album, Building Bridges. He took it to #65 that year. Two years later, Eddy Raven recorded it for his Love And Other Hard Times album. His version made the top ten at #9. Enjoy the video!

[slowmo]

Creative Nation posts a bunch of demos, including some that've been cut, on their Soundcloud page. Several by some combination of Natalie Hemby, Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, Barry Dean, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna + many more.

soundcloud.com/creativenation

[onebuffalo]

Vince Gill's first MCA single of 1989 was called Never Alone. That peaked at #22. However, it first appeared on Rosanne Cash's 1985 album, Rhythm & Romance. That album produced a quartet of top five hits. They are:

1. I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me-1985-#1-Grammy Award winner
2. Never Be You-1986-#1-Billboard's top country single of the year
3. Hold On-1986-#5
4. Second To No One-1986-#5

The song was written by Cash and Gill. I'm sure more people are familiar with the Gill version. Here's Cash's version. Enjoy!

[thy4568]

Years ago, Capitol Records released an album by Pat Alger.  Alger wrote many of Garth Brooks hits and on the album you can hear his version of Garth's "That Summer" and Trisha Yearwod's "Like We Never Had a Broken Heart."  Used to own this record, but not anymore.  I remember it was very good and Alger had a relaxing and unhurried way of singing that was soothing.

1 Tear in Mama's Eye



2 Open Invitation to the Blues



3 Somebody's Love



4 Like We Never Had A Broken Heart



5 That Summer



6 One Less Rose in Texas



7 Missing In Action



8 The Laughing Years



9 I'm Taking My Time



10 We've Heard It All Before

[Ten Pound Hammer]

4 Runner's "Getaway Car" album has their version of "Love a Little Stronger", which 4 Runner baritone singer Billy Crittenden cowrote.

[zaclord 🌈]

I listen to Kacey Musgraves' version of "Mama's Broken Heart" frequently. I prefer the production and angst that Miranda's version brings, but Kacey's laid back tone brings a different approach to the song that I also enjoy! Definitely demo quality though.

[The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷]

I don't know if they were demos exactly but I used to listen to the first recordings of "Somewhere With You" with Shane McAnally (later recorded by Kenny Chesney) and "Remember That" with Rachel Proctor(later recorded by Jessica Simpson) years before they got cut and released as singles. I haven't listened to them ever since the later versions (with better sound quality) came out, but I still loved them! I'm sure I still have them somewhere...

[slowmo]

That just reminded, Shane did a songwriter thing with Spotify a little bit ago and the demos of several songs were posted on there, including the "Somewhere With You" one.

[The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷]

Jul 24, 2016 23:34:51 GMT -5 slowmo said:

That just reminded, Shane did a songwriter thing with Spotify a little bit ago and the demos of several songs were posted on there, including the "Somewhere With You" one.

I didn't know that at all.. that's great! Thanks for sharing slowmo
I got a bunch of songs from Shane that I assume were demos from around the time or after he did the songs for the movie Shelter (in 2007)... they were great and felt quite personal. "Somewhere With You" were among them and was one of my favorites!

[onebuffalo]

Remember Dobie Gray? He is best known for his massive hit of 1973 called Drift Away. That hit #5 pop and #42 r&b. He remade it three decades later with Uncle Kracker and their version hit #9 pop and #1 adult contemporary in 2004. It stayed at #1 A.C. for 28 weeks, a record for that chart. He wrote Got My Heart Set On You. John Conlee recorded it for his debut Columbia album, Harmony. The title track was the lead single and that hit #10 in 1986. Got My Heart Set On You was the second single and that became the seventh and final #1 for Conlee. 1987 was kicked off with The Carpenter, a #6 country hit. Gray can also boast a top 40 country hit in 1986 called That's One To Grow On (#35). John Denver also recorded Got My Heart Set On You for his 1985 album, Dreamland Express. Enjoy the video!

[Ten Pound Hammer]

Jul 24, 2016 23:34:51 GMT -5 slowmo said:

That just reminded, Shane did a songwriter thing with Spotify a little bit ago and the demos of several songs were posted on there, including the "Somewhere With You" one.

Wow, his voice hasn't changed one bit since "Are Your Eyes Still Blue"...

[thy4568]

Donald Alan "Don" Schlitz, Jr. (born August 29, 1952 in Durham, North Carolina) is a country music songwriter. For his songwriting efforts, Schlitz has earned two Grammys, as well as four ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year awards. Since 1993, Schlitz has also been a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.



01. Don Schlitz - The Gamble [03:53]

02. Don Schlitz - I Feel Lucky

03. Don Schlitz - When You Say Nothing At All

04. Don Schlitz - Forever And Ever, Amen

05. Don Schlitz - The Greatest

06. Don Schlitz - I Watched It All (On My Radio)

07. Don Schlitz - On The Other Hand

08. Don Schlitz - I Take My Chances

09. Don Schlitz - Learning To Live Again

10. Don Schlitz - Stand A Little Rain

[avalyn]

Hey Heartbreak: Recorded by Jennifer Nettles; live songwriter version: Sara Haze


Stupid Girl: Recorded by Keith Urban; acoustic songwriter version: Sarah Buxton


Reckless: Recorded by Martina McBride; live songwriter version: Sarah Buxton


It Ain't Pretty: Recorded by Lady A / Martin McBride; songwriter version: Nicolle Galyon


Growing Her Wings: Recorded by Lauren Alaina; songwriter version: Nicolle Galyon


Anyway: Recorded by Martina McBride; songwriter version: Warren Brothers


Stuck Like Glue: Recorded by Sugarland; songwriter version: Kevin Griffin


Your Man: Recorded by Josh Turner; songwriter version: Chris Stapleton



SO SORRY FOR THE AMOUNT OF VIDEOS. I just wanted to get them all in.

[robenglund]

There's this YouTube channel that I know of with a bunch of Dallas Davidson demos on it















All of the various artists who cut these songs didn't really change much from the majority of the demos. Hunter Hayes switched around some lyrics in his version of "21" and totally botched the song in my opinion. I think Davidson's version is way better. Luke sings "Play It Again" in B major instead of C major like Davidson does. The rest of the songs the artists cut it in the same key. Also In Davidson's version of "Play It Again" there's some nice steel guitar. Wish Luke would have kept it :( .

[Ten Pound Hammer]

Jul 26, 2016 9:51:16 GMT -5 robenglund said:

Hunter Hayes switched around some lyrics in his version of "21" and totally botched the song in my opinion.

Personally, I found the biggest problem with Hunter Hayes' version of "21" was the hilarity of a line like "Gonna party like we just turned 21" coming from a voice that sounds like it's about 10.

[robenglund]

Jul 27, 2016 14:33:31 GMT -5 Ten Pound Hammer said:

Jul 26, 2016 9:51:16 GMT -5 robenglund said:

Hunter Hayes switched around some lyrics in his version of "21" and totally botched the song in my opinion.

Personally, I found the biggest problem with Hunter Hayes' version of "21" was the hilarity of a line like "Gonna party like we just turned 21" coming from a voice that sounds like it's about 10.

Haha that's so true. Never thought of that. Obviously Davidson has a much more mature voice.

[onebuffalo]

Ed Bruce wrote Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys. His version appears on his self-titled album of 1975. Released late in the year, it climbed all the way to #15 in early 1976, becoming his first ever top 40 hit. Two years later, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson cut their version and it ended up topping the country chart for four weeks while hitting #42 pop and even #33 adult contemporary.

[fe_lipeoliveira]

Great topic! As a lover of many singer-songwriters who unfortunately don't have a record deal, I love when they get outside cuts and I love even more when I get to listen to their demo version. MySpace was a good place to find them. Today we can get a few on SoundCloud, but it's not that easy anymore

I remember these double disc compilation that was released a few years back.







Also, a few months ago there was some sort of an award show for demos in Nashville, I can't quite remember the details, but they also released a compilation.

[Ten Pound Hammer]

A lot of the songs written by Mac McAnally were also originally recorded by him. Simple Life has "Back Where I Come From", "Down the Road" (both Kenny Chesney), "Company Time" (Linda Davis), "Simple Life" (Andy Childs), and "Southbound" (Sammy Kershaw). Live and Learn has "All These Years" (Sawyer Brown).

[thy4568]

Aug 1, 2016 23:03:31 GMT -5 Ten Pound Hammer said:

A lot of the songs written by Mac McAnally were also originally recorded by him. Simple Life has "Back Where I Come From", "Down the Road" (both Kenny Chesney), "Company Time" (Linda Davis), "Simple Life" (Andy Childs), and "Southbound" (Sammy Kershaw). Live and Learn has "All These Years" (Sawyer Brown).

Wow!  Do you own Mac's "Back Where I Come From"?  That's one album I woould love to hear.  I love Mac's "Live and Learn" which is the only album of his I got.  He has a wonderful pen!

[Ten Pound Hammer]

Aug 2, 2016 0:13:25 GMT -5 thy4568 said:

Aug 1, 2016 23:03:31 GMT -5 Ten Pound Hammer said:

A lot of the songs written by Mac McAnally were also originally recorded by him. Simple Life has "Back Where I Come From", "Down the Road" (both Kenny Chesney), "Company Time" (Linda Davis), "Simple Life" (Andy Childs), and "Southbound" (Sammy Kershaw). Live and Learn has "All These Years" (Sawyer Brown).

Wow!  Do you own Mac's "Back Where I Come From"?  That's one album I woould love to hear.  I love Mac's "Live and Learn" which is the only album of his I got.  He has a wonderful pen!

I have Simple Life, but I got Mac's version of "Back Where I Come From" from a friend way earlier.

[onebuffalo]

After Columbia Records broke Rodney Crowell wide open as an artist, he signed to MCA Records in 1994. His second album for them, Jewel Of The South contains his version of Please Remember Me. That peaked at #69 in 1995. Four years later, Tim McGraw includes it for his A Place In The Sun album. It became the lead single and spent five big weeks at the top of the chart, becoming one of the biggest hits of the year. Patty Loveless backs up McGraw on that one. It even became a crossover hit, peaking at #10 pop.

[onebuffalo]

After Dickey Lee scored his only #1 hit in 1975 with Rocky, he turned to Razzy Bailey for two more hits. The first was 9,999,999 Tears. That hit #3 in 1976. The following year, he took Peanut Butter to #21. In 1978, Bailey signed to the RCA label, where Lee was.

[Ten Pound Hammer]

Aug 2, 2016 8:44:04 GMT -5 onebuffalo said:

After Columbia Records broke Rodney Crowell wide open as an artist, he signed to MCA Records in 1994. His second album for them, Jewel Of The South contains his version of Please Remember Me. That peaked at #69 in 1995. Four years later, Tim McGraw includes it for his A Place In The Sun album. It became the lead single and spent five big weeks at the top of the chart, becoming one of the biggest hits of the year. Patty Loveless backs up McGraw on that one. It even became a crossover hit, peaking at #10 pop.

Still the worst thing Rodney ever wrote in my opinion. It's way too muddy and emo for him.

[onebuffalo]

The story goes that in 1985, Kenny Rogers commissioned Dave Loggins to come up with a song that was a cross between Rogers' own Something's Burning and Bruce Springsteen's I'm On Fire. Rogers even put Loggins in his guest house and told him not to come out until he had something. Well, after a few days, Loggins did indeed present Rogers with a song called Morning Desire. Rogers loved the tune and put it on his 1985 album, The Heart Of The Matter. It was the lead single and it debuted during the fall of 1985. Rogers debuted the video during the C.M.A.s. The single topped the chart during the first week of 1986. It also peaked at #72 pop and #8 adult contemporary. It effectively ended Rogers' crossover era (1977-1985). Second single, Tomb Of The Unknown Love also topped the chart in 1986. According to the American Country Countdown, Morning Desire was the top song of the year. The late George Martin produced The Heart Of The Matter.

[onebuffalo]

Kenny Rogers turned to Lee Greenwood for A Love Song in 1982. That was the second and final single off Rogers' Love Will Turn You Around album. Lead single, the title track peaked at #1 country, #13 pop, and #1 adult contemporary. A Love Song was also a crossover hit, hitting #3 country, #47 pop, and #10 A.C.. You will find Greenwood's version on his 1982 album, Inside Out.

[onebuffalo]

Marty Robbins issued a promo single in 1965 called Ribbon Of Darkness. That became his eleventh chart topper. That was written by Gordon Lightfoot. Lightfoot would be famous for his biggest crossover hit, Sundown in 1974 that topped pop and adult contemporary charts while peaking at #13 country.

[tonyei31]

While this isn't a "recorded version" the voice and story Wendell Mobley tells in this in unmatched. You can tell he truly lived this and tells this story great.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z38NDimpM5E


I am pretty challenged with technology so If anyone can help explain how I embed the video as opposed to link that would be helpful!    

[onebuffalo]

Here is a twofer today. Alan Jackson released his first greatest hits CD in 1995. Lead single was Tall, Tall Trees. That was written by TWO country legends-George Jones and Roger Miller. Jackson turned it into a chart topping hit in late 1995. Two other singles were released from the album: I'll Try (#1 in 1996) and Home (#3 in 1996). Enjoy BOTH Jones' version and Miller's take: